Method for lining a hot top casing with insulating panels and ring

ABSTRACT

A method is disclosed for lining a hot top casing with insulating panels supported on edge in an upwardly tapered configuration corresponding to the size and shape of the opening in the casing. The casing is lowered around the panels to provide a press fit.

United States Patent 1 Perri May 15, 1973 [54] METHOD FOR LINING A HOT TOP CASING WITH INSULATING PANELS [5 6] References Cited D N AN RI G UNITED STATES PATENTS [75] Inventor: Joseph Perri, Coraopolis, Pa.

1,745,199 1/1930 Vauclaln et a1. ..29/463 [73] Assignee: The Union Commerce Bank, Cleve- 2,509,782 5/1950 Person ..29/463 UX land, 01110 3,437,308 4/1969 Thiem et al. ..249/201 3,458,169 7/1969 Eastwood et al. ..249/20l [22] Filed: 25, 1971 3,484,073 12/1969 Pusch ..249 201 [21] App]. No.: 174,797

Primary Examiner-Charlie T. Moon Related US. Application Data ,4; M h L R [60] Division of Ser. No. 842,076, July 2, 1969, Pat. No.

3,675,304, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. [57] ABSTRACT May 1968 abandoned A method is disclosed for lining a hot top casing with [52] U S Cl 29/463 29/525 insulating panels supported on edge in an upwardly [51] In} .0 E21,! 39/02 tapered configuration corresponding to the size and [58] Fieid shape of the opening in the casing. The casing is 5 lowered around the panels to provide a press fit 4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PM {141mm 1 5|975 SHEET 2 [IF 3 INVENTOR JOSEPH PEIQIQ/ BY 4 6 M ATTORNEY PATENTED HAY 1 1975 SHEET 3 [1F 3 INVENTOR JOSEPH r ge/a, BY W A) ATTORNEY METHOD FOR LINING A HOT TOP CASING WITH INSULATING PANELS AND RING CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION At present, most hot top casings used in the pouring of steel ingots are provided near the top with laterally projecting lifting lugs for engagement by crane hooks, by which the hot top can be raised and lowered and transported. The hot tops also are provided with a pair of laterally projecting trunnions located at the center of gravity. When the hot top casing is to be lined with insulating panels, it is deposited by a crane on a stand, with its trunnions supported in such a manner that the casing can be rotated 180 degrees to invert it. The insulating panels then are inserted in the downwardly tapered pouring opening, but to be moved down into final position the practice is to lay a board along the upper edge of each panel and pound on it with a mallet to force the panel down into place. Since the openings through the hot tops often vary a little in size and the panels are not always the same thickness, it sometimes requires considerable pounding to force the panels into place. This not only consumes a considerable amount of time, but it is likely to break or damage the panels. After the panels have been applied to the casing, a refractory bottom ring is placed on top of the casing and fastened to it by clips. The hot top then has to be rotated again to turn it right side up, after which it is removed from the stand by a crane.

Further, at times the insulating panels, or set of insulating panels, are slightly smaller than the opening in the casing and the ends of the panels will fall below the edge of the casing. In this instance, quite frequently an open space remains between the ends of the panels and the bottom ring after final assembly. This open space, if permitted to remain, renders the casing vulnerable to attack by the molten metal during the pouring operation causing damage to the casing or perhaps a complete loss of the poured ingot due to sticking of the casing or other.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide an improved method for lining a hot top casing with insulating panels, in which no pounding of the panels into place is required, in which the weight of the casings is used for forcing the panels into place, and in which it is unnecessary to turn the casing bottom-side up.

A further object of this invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive method of lining casings with insulating panels and rings without the use of fastening clips.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention comprises a method for lining the upwardly tapered pouring opening through a hot top metal casing with insulating panels comprising supporting the panels on edge in an upwardly tapered configuration corresponding to the size and shape of the opening in the casing and lowering the casing around the panels to provide a press fit.

This invention provides the advantages of eliminating the need for rotating a hot top casing to line it with insulating panels; eliminates the need for the stand upon which the casing is rotated; provides a simple, easy and economical method of installing insulating panels and rings; eliminates the need for special fastening clips to attach a refractory ring; and permits an efficient utilization of manpower.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a plan view of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a side view, partly in section, showing a casing about to be lowered;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view, partly in section, with the casing just short of final position;

FIG. 4 is a side view, turned from FIGS. 2 and 3, showing the casing in final position;

FIG. 5 is a three dimensional sketch showing panels and a refractory ring in an upwardly tapered configuration; and

FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 are sectional side views of a portion of panels, ring and casing showing modifications of panel, ring and casing structures within the scope of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the Figures of the drawings, all like parts are numbered the same; and referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a support or assembly table 1 is constructed in any desired way, but must be strong enough to support the heavy metal casing of a hot top. Rigidly mounted on top of the table and some distance inwardly from its outer edges is an upwardly tapered stand. This stand may be made from a group of upwardly converging metal bars 2 secured together at their upper ends by horizontal girts 3. The lower ends of the bars are welded to the top of the table. The shape of the stand will depend upon the shape of the pouring openings in the hot top casings that are to make use of the apparatus. For example, the stand shown for the purpose of illustration of the invention is square in horizontal section and therefore, hot top casings with square openings will be used with this stand. The inclination of the sides of the stand is substantially the same as the inclination of the sides of the tapered pouring openings through the casings; however, the stand is smaller in horizontal section than the casing openings by an amount equal to the thickness of the insulating panels that will be used with the stand.

In using this apparatus, a refractory bottom ring 5 of any suitable construction is lowered over the stand by workmen, or assembled around it, and seated on the top of the table around the base of the stand as shown in FIG. 2. The inner edge of the ring will engage the stand or come close to it. An insulating panel 6 then is laid against each side of the stand, with the lower edge of the panel resting on the inner edge portion of the bottom ring. The composition of the insulating panels can be anything desired as it has nothing to do with this invention. For example, they may be formed simply of insulating material, or of exothermic material, or .of a mixture of both. The mill crane 7 now picks up an empty hot top casing 8 by its lifting lugs 9 and positions it above the stand in as near axial alignment therewith as possible. The empty casing now is slowly lowered down to and around the stand and the inclined panels supported by it. In other words, the casing is telescoped over the stand until the bottom of the casing rests on the refractory bottom ring. When in this position, as shown in FIGS. 4, 6, 7 and 8, the panels will be in engagement with adjacent sides of the opening through the casing and, because the upright edges of the panels are forced into tight engagement with one another, the panels will remain in place and form an insulating lining for the casing. Any of the normal irregularities in the size of the opening or of the panels will not keep the panels from being fully inserted in the opening, because the great weight of the casing will cause it to force itself down over the panels until it seats on the ring. It is therefore unnecessary to pound the panels into place and they will not be damaged.

In order to fasten the refractory ring to the metal casing by the usual retaining clips, the top of table 1 is provided with a number of slots 11 through it which extend inwardly from its edge and across the bottom of the bottom ring. Clips 12 then can be inserted in these slots and hooked under the bottom ring and then their upper ends hooked into the usual holes 13 in the side of the casing. After this has been done, the complete hot top can be lifted by the crane from the support and stand and transported to any desired location. A new bottom ring and new panels are then mounted on the table and stand for receiving the next empty hot top casing.

Although by being very careful the crane man can lower the hot top casing in axial alignment with the stand, it is desirable to provide this apparatus with means for guiding the casing to make sure that it will be centered on the stand as it is lowered. For this purpose, a pair of laterally spaced upright guide bars 15 may be mounted on the support at two opposite sides of the stand. The lower ends of these bars may be supported by a pair of horizontal channels 16 extending across the support beneath the top of the table and welded to the table frame. The bars, which may be angle bars, extend upwardly from these panels in parallel relation to a point above the stand. The upper portions of the bars in each pair diverge. Also, the diverging portions of each pair of bars preferably are inclined outwardly away from the other pair. The distance between the parallel portions of the bars in each pair is only a little greater than the width of a lateral projection of the hot top casing that will slide down between the bars. This projection may be the usual trunnion, or it may be a lug 17 since trunnions no longer are necessary. When the casing is lowered between the two pairs of guide bars, the two lugs will enter between the adjoining guide bars which will then guide the casing downwardly by preventing it from moving horizontally along a line connecting the two lifting lugs. To prevent the casing from moving horizontally at right angles to that line, the two pairs of guide bars are close enough together to be nearly engaged by side portions of the casing at the same sides as the guiding lugs, as shown in FIG. 3. Consequently, the descending casing is compelled to align itself with the underlying stand and to stay in alignment with it as the casing is lowered. This guided alignment will occur even though the crane man has not positioned the casing quite correctly over the stand.

In lowering the casing around the stand there is danger of the casing descending so rapidly that it will strike the refractory bottom ring on the table with too much force and break or crush the ring. To avoid any such possibility, this apparatus may be provided with means for controlling the final portion of the downward movement of the casing around the stand. This is controlled by a workman stationed beside the stand. The control is exercised by providing the support 1 with means for stopping the downward movement of the casingjust before it reaches the bottom ring, and then switching the lowering operation from the crane to means under the direct control of the workman just mentioned. To accomplish all of this, a cam shaft 20 extending lengthwise between the two channels 16 is rotatably supported in vertical plates 21 connecting them. Between the two guide bars 15 at each end of the channel a cam 22 is rigidly mounted on the shaft, which can be turned by a handle 23 connected to one end, or by mechanical means if desired.

Resting on each cam is a vertical member, such as a rod 25, which extends upwardly a short distance between the adjoining two guide bars. This rod is slidable vertically in horizontal guide plates 26 welded to the bars. Screwed onto, or otherwise secured to, the upper end of each rod is a saddle member 27 adapted to receive and support one of the guide lugs 17 projecting from the hot top casing. While the casing is being lowered by the crane, the high parts of the cams support the saddles in their upper position as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The position of the saddles at this time is such that, when guide lugs 17 on the casing are stopped by the saddles, the bottom of the casing will be spaced a short distance from the top of the refractory bottom ring, as shoWn in FIG. 3. The crane hooks continue to be lowered a short distance, but the casing remains stationary, stopped by the two saddles. The operator then grips the handle and rotates the cam shaft to allow the two rods to slide down the cams to their low points, as shown in FIG. 4. The extent of the downward movement is great enough to seat the casing on the bottom ring, but as the cam shaft can be rotated as slowly as desired by the operator, the casing is lowered slowly during this final portion of its final movement and comes to rest on the bottom ring gently enough to avoid any damage to the ring. The ring then is attached by clips 12 to the casing as previously explained, and the crane is reversed to lift the completed lined hot top from the table.

Another embodiment of this invention is shown in FIG. 5 wherein insulating panels 6 are prepared in the desired upstanding configuration and refractory ring 5 is lowered around the panels. Although insulating panels 6 are shown in an upwardly tapered configuration having a square cross-section, it is clear that the panels may be located or arranged in any fashion to produce any desired cross-section to conform to the shape of the casing to be lined. Also, insulating panels may be made in one or more sections such as upwardly standing V-section 30 and 31 or U-sections as indicated by dotted lines 32 and 33. It is clear also that insulating panels 6 may be in one unitary section to conform to the surface of the metal casing to be lined. The upward standing configuration may be prepared around or located on the stand apparatus described previously or may be located and prepared without a stand as shown in FIG. 5.

After preparation of the upwardly standing panel configuration, refractory ring 5, prepared with an opening to conform to the shape of the configuration, is placed around the configuration and lowered to the bottom portion of the configuration where the sides of the opening in the ring will contact the sides of the panels. The size of the opening in ring 5 is controlled so that the ring will move easily down around the top portion of the panel configuration but will not move to the bottom portion until the panels are pressed together and the inner ring surface compressed or deformed slightly.

After assembly in this manner, the hot top casing may be lowered around the panel-ring configuration, and the weight of the hot top casing will drive the panels up inside of it as in the previous embodiment. The refractory ring is forced to the bottom of the configuration giving a tight press-fit closure between the casing, the ring, and the panels which will permit the lifting of the loaded casing without the further insertion of clips or other supporting apparatus to attach the refractory ring to the casing, and a substantially void-free panel surface is provided in the casing.

Further embodiments of the panel-refractory ring combination are shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8. In these figures, hot top casing 8 is shown in a lowered position around the upwardly standing configuration of panel 6 after refractory ring 5 has been forced to the bottom portion of the upwardly standing configuration. In FIG. 6 there is shown a modification of the bottom portion of the panel and the inside of the ring. In this embodiment, panel 6 is enlarged in thickness in the bottom portion at area 36 so that when ring 5 is forced around panel 6, there is greater compression between the ring and the panel which will give a more secure fit. Also, spring or fishhook stud 37 may be provided on the inner surface of casing 8 at suitable locations to provide an additional attaching means for panel 6 if needed or desired.

In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the bottom portion 39 of panel 6 is provided with ledge 40 extending out from panel 6 to provide a support means and ring 5 is provided With mating interlock means to lock with the panel. It is clear that any suitable design of support means and mating interlocking means for the panels and ring is within the scope of this invention.

In the embodiment of FIG. 8, a spring clip 41 having point 42 and base support 43 may be placed around panel 6 or have bottom portion 43 embedded or made a part of ring 5. Then, when casing 8 is lowered around panels 6, ring 5 is forced to bottom portion 44 and point 42 is embedded into panel 6 by casing 8. This provides additional support for ring 5 and panels 6 when casing 8 is lifted or moved.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiments. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

What is claimed is:

1. The method oflining with insulating panels the upwardly tapered pouring opening through a hot top metal casing, comprising supporting the panels on edge in an upwardly tapered configuration corresponding in size and shape to said opening, and lowering the casing around the panels to press the sides of its opening against the sides of the panels.

2. The method recited in claim 1, including obstructing further lowering of the casing just before it reaches final position, and then slowly lowering the obstruction to lower the casing the rest of the way.

3. The method of claim 1 further characterized by placing a refractory bottom ring around the supported panels prior to said lowering the casing.

4. The method of claim 3 further characterized by said ring having an opening corresponding to said shape of said configuration and being smaller than the base portion of said configuration. 

1. The method of lining with insulating panels the upwardly tapered pouring opening through a hot top metal casing, comprising supporting the panels on edge in an upwardly tapered configuration corresponding in size and shape to said opening, and lowering the casing around the panels to press the sides of its opening against the sides of the panels.
 2. The method recited in claim 1, including obstructing further lowering of the casing just before it reaches final position, and then slowly lowering the obstruction to lower the casing the rest of the way.
 3. The method of claim 1 further characterized by placing a refractory bottom ring around the supported panels prior to said lowering the casing.
 4. The method of claim 3 further characterized by said ring having an opening corresponding to said shape of said configuration and being smaller than the base portion of said configuration. 